Although the biotech industry and our indentured corporate mass media would
have us believe that recent scientific advances in food and farming are
derived from genetic engineering and chemicals, according to UK-based GM
Watch, the real breakthroughs in farming in 2007 came from organic and
sustainable agriculture:

1) In 2007 a deluge of new scientific studies from a wide variety of
institutions indicate that in comparison to genetically modified (GM) crops,
organic agriculture can better feed the world, reduce global warming,
provide greater nutrition, and boost the economy. Digesting new research on
the topic, the United Nations announced that organic agriculture is the best
way to feed the world and help stabilize the climate:

+ ORGANIC FARMING CAN FEED THE WORLD - STUDY Organic farming can
yield up to three times as much food on individual farms in developing
countries, as low-intensive methods on the same land - according to new
findings which refute the long-standing claim that organic farming methods
cannot produce enough food to feed the global population. ''My hope is that
we can finally put a nail in the coffin of the idea that you can't produce
enough food through organic agriculture,'' said Ivette Perfecto, professor
at University of Michigan's School of Natural Resources and Environment, and
one of the study's principal investigators.http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=8107

+ ORGANIC FARMING COMBATS GLOBAL WARMING... Big time, according to
data from the Rodale Institute's long-running comparison of organic and
conventional cropping systems. Converting the US's corn and soybean acres to
organic production would sequester enough carbon to satisfy 73 percent of
the Kyoto targets for CO2 reduction in the US.
http://www.newfarm.org/depts/NFfield_trials/1003/carbonsequest.shtml

+ ORGANIC FARMING BEATS NO-TILL Organic farming can build up soil
organic matter better than conventional no-till farming, according to a
long-term study by US Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists.
Organic farming, despite its emphasis on building organic matter, was
previously thought by some to endanger soil because it relies on tillage and
cultivation - instead of herbicides - to kill weeds. But Teasdale's study
showed that organic farming's addition of organic matter in manure and cover
crops more than offset losses from tillage.http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=8094

+ UN's FOOD AND AG ORG SUPPORTS ORGANIC The United Nations Food and
Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has come out in favour of organic
agriculture. Its report, ''Organic Agriculture and Food Security'' states
that organic agriculture can address local and global food security
challenges.http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=8268

+ ORGANIC FOOD BETTER Important new research has shown up to 40% more
beneficial compounds in organic vegetable crops and up to 90% more in
organic milk. It has also found high levels of minerals such as iron and
zinc in organic produce.
http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=8430

+ IT'S OFFICIAL: ORGANIC REALLY IS BETTER FOR YOU A 10-year study
comparing organic and non-organic tomatoes has found that the organic ones
have almost twice the quantity of antioxidants (called flavonoids) that help
to prevent high blood pressure, thus reducing the likelihood of heart
disease and strokes.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/wine/main.jhtml?xml=/wine/2007/07/14/edorganic114.xml+ GROWERS CAN MAKE MORE MONEY BY GOING ORGANIC Minnesota grain
farmers could make more money by switching from conventional to organic
grain crops, shows a four-year study announced at the American Agricultural
Economics Association's annual meeting in Long Beach, Calif. The study, by
David W. Archer, an Agricultural Research Service (ARS) economist, and
Hillarius Kludze, an ARS soil scientist, analyzed both economic risks and
transition effects of switching to organic farming.
http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=8094

2) A wide range of new, non-GM crops over the last year are bringing hope to
farmers around the world:

+ NEW SALT-TOLERANT WHEAT SET TO BRING LIFE TO ''DEAD'' FARM LAND
Scientists have developed a non-GM salt-tolerant wheat which could allow
farmers to crop a third of the 1.8 million hectares of agricultural land
lost to salinity across Australia's wheat belt.
http://www.gene.ch/genet/2004/Aug/msg00004.html

+ ZAMBIA: BETTER NON-GM MAIZE HARVESTS Although drought-prone Zambia
is still facing many problems, huge improvements have been reported in its
maize harvests - its main staple crop. A report from Inter Press Service
notes, ''... production changed dramatically after President Levy Mwanawasa
took over from Frederick Chiluba in 2001.... [He] promoted innovations like
mixed farming and conservation farming. Mwanawasa rejected GM maize and
encouraged the growing of non-GM maize, resulting in bumper harvests for the
past three consecutive years.'' When the Zambian government rejected GM
maize in 2002, there were calls from the US Ambassador to the FAO for its
leaders to be tried ''for the highest crimes against humanity in the highest
courts of the world.''

+ UK: NON-GM CROP SCIENCE GETS GBP13m BOOST UK crop scientists have been
awarded a GBP13.3m boost in funding to carry out research aimed at
delivering benefits for farmers and consumers. Researchers say they will not
be producing GM crops. Prof David Pink, from Warwick HRI, University of
Warwick, whose team has been awarded GBP500,000 to identify genes in
broccoli that will extend its shelf life and maintain its nutritional value
for longer, said, ''We are not going down that [GM] route because GM is not
acceptable at the moment, and not acceptable to our plant breeding
partner.''
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6245529.stm

NON-GM DROUGHT-RESISTANT RICE IN PIPELINE Japanese researchers have
made progress in breeding non-GM drought-resistant rice, intended for
planting in Africa and other dry regions.

GM DROUGHT TOLERANT MAIZE WAY BEHIND NON-GM During March 2007, the
South African authorities gave Monsanto permission to conduct GM drought
tolerant maize field trials in South Africa. The African Centre for
Biosafety released a report on the issue, pointing out that drought
tolerance is at least 8-10 years away from commercialisation. Nevertheless,
GM drought tolerant crops are being used as PR tools by biotech lobbyists to
promote acceptance of GM crops, expand existing markets and develop new
markets. Finally, the report points out that traditional breeding, marker
assisted selection, and building up organic content of the soil are proven
methods of dealing with drought.
http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7969

PHILIPPINES NEW NON-GM DROUGHT-RESISTANT CORN A Philippines scientist
has developed a new non-GM corn variety that was able to survive a drought
for 29 days. http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=8361

INDIGENOUS RICE BETTER THAN GM FOR DEALING WITH STRESS A New
Delhi-based NGO, together with farmers from nine Indian states, has
developed a register documenting over 2,000 indigenous rice varieties. They
say GM rice strains are not only costly to cultivate but also are a poor
match to the native strains in fighting pests, diseases and environmental
fluctuations.http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=8359

BODY BLOW TO GRAIN BORER The larger grain borer is taking a beating
from CIMMYT (Internation Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre) breeders in
Kenya as a new non-GM African maize withstands the onslaught of one of the
most damaging pests.
http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=8361

*Non-GM
virus-resistant cassava for East and Central Africa
Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, USA
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Nigeria, Press Releasehttp://www.cgiar.org/newsroom/releases/news.asp?idnews=574

*Non-GM technology
reduces aflatoxins in maize in Nigeria
Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, USA